


Prompt & Circumstance

by Mortalitatis



Category: Homestuck
Genre: A lot of this will probably be sadstuck actually, Chapter 1 is sadstuck as well, Chapter 7 is sadstuck, F/F, Sadstuck, additional characters will be added as they pop up, because I am incapable of writing happy things a lot of the time
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-11-03
Updated: 2013-11-03
Packaged: 2017-12-31 08:04:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1029283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mortalitatis/pseuds/Mortalitatis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of prompts I've filled over on Tumblr (horrortier.tumblr.com).</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Kanaya Dying (1)

You had only wanted to go see her. You wanted to hold her in your arms and let every feeling you had ever felt for her spill out of your mouth like water, unable to stop flowing. You wanted to see her reaction, and hoped to every deity out there that she would accept your love and maybe even reciprocate it.

Now, as you lay here bleeding out on the sidewalk, you begin to realize that that goal may never come to fruition.

It had all been so sudden, really; you were taking your time, trying to tear through the racing thoughts in your head. What if she doesn’t love you? You’re being idiotic. Don’t do this. How could you ever think someone like her could love someone like-

And that’s when it hit. The pain had not come immediately, and instead waited for you to come back to the reality around you. It slowly seeped in from your middle, staining your senses and your clothes. Then you began to feel yourself doubled over, something clouding your ability to fully determine what just happened. In your vision, you can see a man before you, a knife smeared with blood (your blood, you think) nearly ready to fall out of his palm and clatter to the floor. You press a tentative hand to your middle, feeling your blood seeping through your clothes. Shame, you had made sure to wear your favorite blouse today.

No, Maryam, _focus._ You finally process the situation when you feel your cheek press to the cold pavement. You feel the wound in your gut, your blood slowly spilling out of it into a pool around you. You look up for just a moment, all your energy draining out of you, catching the man’s haggard face and terrified eyes. You swear he looks more scared than you are, and he hesitates for a second, leaning down to snatch your purse and race off with it. You groan, pressing your face to the ground as you lift your stomach just a little to be able to press a palm to the stab wound. You hear voices in the distances, yelling to call 911, but it all drains out. Soon, all noises are gone, and your eyelids drift shut.

—

You awaken, just barely, to hear muffled yelling. Your eyes do not open just yet, and you take a moment to adjust to your surroundings. You lay upon something soft, its warmth cradling you, and you extend an arm out to grip the bars alongside your cloudlike surface. Your eyes flit open to catch a wild, blue haired woman being restrained from nurses as she tries to push towards you. You strain for just a second, the noises making sense for a moment in your muddle.

_“JUST LET ME SEE HER-“_

“Ma’am, we’re sorry, but you can’t disturb her just yet, we have to determine her condition-“

_“DO YOU THINK I FUCKING CARE I NEED TO SEE MY BEST FRIEND-“_

“Ma’am, please, just wait, we’ll let you see her the moment we determine visitation is okay!” 

The angered voice drowns into what sounds like incomprehensible screaming, soon resigning into frustrated huffing. You watch the girl be taken out of the room before you fall back into your slumber.

—

Your eyes slip open once more, something gripping your shoulders, begging you to wake.

“Kanaya, please, come on, they said it was okay…”

Your eyes settle onto her face, and your lips pull into a tired smile. Vriska came to see you. You want to reach up, wrap your arms around her, but you find that you can’t; you’re simply too tired. As your vision clears some, you begin to realize that happiness does not reside in her eyes; no, you begin to believe that it looks far more like sadness and pain. You open your mouth just barely, voice cracking.

“Vriska?”

She gasps, and you feel yourself lifted into her arms. “I’m right here, Fussy. Man, you had me so scared, I thought that I was just going to straight up never get to speak to you again!”

She lets out a nervous laugh, and her words do not register. “Yes, well, here I am now, ready to converse.” You think she’s trying her hardest to smile, but something still twinges at the edges.

“Holy shit, there’s just so much we could talk about. They told me I don’t have very long to talk to you, and I just- I don’t know what I want to say- I’ve never had to really deal with this sort of situation before, why the hell did you have to do this to me-“

You press a finger to her lips. “Why are you so worried? You act like we’re never going to be able to speak again.”

She remains silent. 

Oh.

You feel fear race into you, and she immediately pulls you into a tight hug, shushing you, asking you to stay quiet, please, don’t cry. You feel her slight tremble against you, and you want to beg the same of her. You muster up your strength, and pull back just enough to be able to talk to her face to face. “Why… Er, how am I going to die?”

“They said that they patched up the stab wound really well, but your head- you must have hit the ground pretty hard, because they said that there was some major bleeding in your head, something about a torn artery near your temple or some shit. They couldn’t drain it in time, but I think they were just being lazy-“

“Vriska. Please do not insult the doctors, they tried their hardest, I’m sure.”

“Pfft, you would defend them. I… You’re my only friend left, Fussy. Please don’t leave me.”

“I don’t think I have that choice anymore.”

You feel her arms pull you close, and if you could just- maybe, just pull back from her arms, take your last moment and let her know, sure it wouldn’t be fair if she felt the same way, but you just need to finally get it out there, you can’t die with this burden on your heart- you manage back once more, gently caressing her cheek with your palm. “Vriska, I-“

And that’s when it all goes black.


	2. Mother Nature

_She said she loved forests, right?_

_Right._

Vriska pores over a map in front of her, edges crumpled as she grips them tightly, a highlighter cap clenched between teeth and the actual highlighter clenched between fingers, tapping it on the table. Little worried noises come from her as she circles various forest markers all over the place - _shit, shit, shit, this is hard, why am I doing this, FUCK! Just be normal and ask her out to the movies or something. She’d like that._

_… No, gotta make it special, show her that you really care or some bullshit like that._

_Ugh._

As the Scorpio falls back in her chair with a groan, something buzzes in her pocket, and she nearly leaps out of the seat before glancing down and catching sight of the dimmed light, realizing it was her phone. She nabs it, eyes widening when she sees it’s a text from Kanaya. The highlighter falls from her hand, the highlighter cap following suit.

> I Hope You Dont Mind But I Happened To Be In Your Neighborhood So I Thought I Might Drop By And I Should Be There In Five Minutes Or So

Vriska’s eyes scan over the words for a moment more before she starts glancing around the room, anxiety coursing more and more into her eyes as she realizes how much of her plans she’s just left laying about. She quickly smashes out a text - Yeah, that’s fine, see you in a 8it! \- before immediately beginning to race about the room, folding up maps and closing websites and shoving papers beneath her bed. Just as she steps out of her bedroom, a light knock on her door signals that the other had arrived, and she takes a deep breath before stepping up to open it. “Heeeeeeeey, Kanaya! Nice to see you again!”

 

The Virgo gives her an amused grin. “I saw you approximately fourteen hours ago while you were at work. It hasn’t been that long.”

 

“That’s almost sixteen! Two eights! That’s pretty long.” Vriska steps back, allowing her in, a matching grin sitting on her lips.

 

Kanaya steps past her, eyes taking in the mess in front of her. She shoots Vriska an annoyed look, one that says ‘I just cleaned this place last week’, but the Scorpio only responds with a shrug, and shuts the door. She steps up beside her as they make their way to the small excuse of a living room - it was really just part of Vriska’s bedroom, due to the lack of space in her cramped apartment, but she called it her living room all the same. The Virgo slips off her rather-high high heels, setting them just beside the tiny closet, before lowering herself upon the small excuse for a couch. Vriska simply just plants her butt on the side opposite her, arms wrapping around her knees. “So, why’d you decide to come here, anyway?”

 

Kanaya fidgets, scratching lightly at her cheek. “I just thought I’d see how you were doing. How clean you had kept the apartment after I cleaned it. Nothing too important.”

 

Vriska smirks, a wide, cocky smirk, and sets her hands on her hips. “You just wanted to see me!”

 

Pink tinges the edges of her cheeks, and she glances away. “That’s entirely possible. You are my best friend, of course.”

 

_Could be more than that._ “Of course! Actually…” Vriska takes another steadying breath, that stupid goddamn smirk still on her lips, hiding her internal anxious turmoil. “I was wondering - there’s this forest that I heard about that’s near here, and I wanted to know if you wanted to go visit it with me, ‘cause you like forests, right?”

 

At first, Kanaya stares at her curiously - she had remembered such a small fact? Soon after, however, a little, happy smile curves up the edges of her lips. “I’d love to go. When?”

 

“This Saturday, so, uh - tomorrow. I’ll come and get you.”

 

“That’s fine. Sounds like a wonderful time.”

 

“Damn right, it’s gonna be great!” A small laugh escapes from Kanaya, and their words dissolve into the night.

 

—

 

It’s eleven o’clock and a tired Vriska Serket is pulling up to a certain Kanaya Maryam’s driveway, a large cup of coffee in hand as the scraggly girl approaches her doorway. She bangs her fist once upon the door, hoping it was enough signal that she had arrived. Not one minute later Kanaya opens up the door, a warm smile upon her lips, and Vriska’s earlier horrid demeanor begins to wash away in its wake. She juts her thumb out in the general direction of her vehicle. “Ready to go?”

 

“Ready as I’ll ever be.” And with that, Kanaya steps out beside Vriska, turning to check her door once before merrily making her way to the car. She slides into the passenger side, and Vriska shoots her a bemused stare as she plops down in the driver’s seat. “What’s got you so happy? It’s the morning. Nobody should be this happy in the morning.”

 

“Well, for one, it’s hardly the morning anymore - it’s eleven o’clock. Second, I have a great day ahead of me.”

A stupid grin plastered itself onto Vriska’s lips, and she shoves the keys in the ignition, beginning to drive off before anything stupid and cheesy can come out of her mouth as a response.

 

—

 

Vriska never thought it was possible for someone to be so in bliss. However, from observing Kanaya while walking through the forest, she began to realize that maybe it was entirely possible. The Virgo practically skipped down the pathway, stopping on occasion to turn and huff at Vriska as she was once again trudging along behind her. Kanaya stops and observes the birds fluttering about the trees, bends down to delicately skirt her fingertips along the edges of the prettiest flowers, and shuts her eyes to breathe in the cool air, an ultimately pleased-with-life smile residing on her lips the entire time. They stroll through the dimmed area, the forest cover above stopping any light from getting through and touching the Earth, silence wrapping around them. After a good half hour or so of this, Vriska makes her way up to Kanaya’s side, the Virgo lightly gasping as she’s brought back from her daydreams by Vriska’s palm coming to rest on her shoulder. The Scorpio’s eyes redirect to the ground for a moment, her words choking up in her throat, her anxieties trying to force them back down, before she turns to Kanaya and quietly murmurs to her, not willing to completely break the forest’s silence.

 

“I need to ask you something.”

Kanaya’s eyes open wide, and she gives her a nervous stare - had she done something wrong? Did Vriska need her to bail her out of something again? Was she suddenly fired, and she needed to stay with her because she couldn’t afford her apartment anymore? Had she-

 

“Would you go out with me?”

 

What. For a moment, her words don’t register with Kanaya, and her nervous stare turns into a blank one. “But we are already outside.”

 

Vriska groans frustratedly, stopping her walking completely, the Virgo following suit. “No, I meant, like, dating-going-out, that sort of thing.”

Kanaya continues to simply stare for a moment, before pink flushes her cheeks, her eyes going wide as it finally clicks. “Oh. You mean. Um-”

 

“Shit, I knew it, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked-”

 

“No, no, no, it’s alright. I’d love to date you!”

 

And now it’s Vriska’s turn to stare blankly, before a wide grin cracks onto her lips. She fidgets for a moment before Kanaya pulls her into her arms, the Virgo holding her tight. A little noise of surprise escaped her, before she hugs her back, and Kanaya lets go, this time taking Vriska by the hand and leading her down the pathway.


	3. Childhood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I should probably add in what ship each fill is shouldn't I.
> 
> OOPS OH WELL.

Vriska Serket was known as the park bully. Kanaya Maryam was not aware of that fact.

 

Thus, when it became Kanaya’s turn to get to use the slide and Vriska snuck up behind her, she felt no sense of worry. No, for she believed that the young Scorpio was just another kid waiting to go down the slide.

 

So, her next actions came as a surprise.

 

The first hint that something was off was that Vriska had placed her palms on her back when she sat down on the slide’s edge. Kanaya turned towards her and mentioned something about not being so impatient for her turn before facing forward again, ready to push off. That’s when she feels Vriska push on her back.

 

The Scorpio grins like the devil, which soon flips into a confused frown as Kanaya squeals the whole way down. She claps her palms together at the bottom, and turns to shoot Vriska a wide grin. “Thank you!”

 

“That’s not how it’s supposed to work!” Vriska folds her arms and huffs, her cheeks puffing out as her lips pull tight into an angry grimace. She stomps her feet heavily as she storms down the playset, a dark storm cloud over her head as she makes her way to the Virgo. Kanaya watches her with a bemused stare, her brows furrowing even more as Vriska stops in front of her and jabs her index finger at her face. “You were supposed to fall off and get hurt!”

 

Kanaya only becomes more puzzled at her words. “So you didn’t mean to push me down just for fun?”

 

“No! I pushed you down ‘cause I wanted you to get hurt, DUH! Geez, stupid, it’s like you don’t know who I am!”

 

The Virgo offers up a small shrug. “I’m afraid I’m entirely unaware of who you are, yes. It’s my first time at this park; my mother decided the other we used to visit was too much of a drive to go to, unfortunately. It was a rather pleasant little space, perhaps you’ve heard of it-”

 

“Dang, you talk a lot!” Vriska sets a palm on her hip, a cocky grin plastering itself onto her face as she jabs her thumb at herself. “I’m Vriska Serket, and you better remember that! I’m the coolest, strongest kid in this whole park, alright? Ain’t nobody here who’s cooler than me, that’s right!”

 

“You also seem to be one of the rudest. First you push me down the slide with intentions to hurt me, and now you cut me off while I was speaking. Hmph.” Kanaya folds her arms across her chest, pouting as she glances away from the other. Vriska fidgets awkwardly, tapping her index fingers together.

 

“I’m not THAT bad! I can be nice, too!” Vriska reaches to tap her shoulder, and Kanaya only leans back, moving just out of her reach. “Come oooooooon! You wouldn’t have even gotten hurt that bad!”

 

“You still wanted to hurt me.”

 

Vriska folds her arms across her chest, puffing her cheeks out once more. “Whatever! I don’t have to apologize to you! Ugh!”

 

“Weren’t you just saying you could be nice just a few seconds ago? That’s what people do when they want to be nice, you know. They apologize.”

Vriska’s shoulders droop, and she kicks the ground, shoving her hands in her pockets. “… ‘M sorry I tried to hurt you, then.”

 

Kanaya immediately turns to face her once more, warmly smiling at her. “See? It wasn’t that hard.”

 

“Yeah yeah yeah, bluh bluh bluh, whatever. Just don’t tell anyone I apologized to you, okay?” After receiving a small nod from Kanaya, she begins to awkwardly rock back and forth on the balls of her feet. “So. Um. Do you wanna, like, hang out or something?”

 

“And watch you torture poor little children?”

 

“NO. We could go like, worm catching. Or something. I dunno.”

 

“Worm catching.” Kanaya laughs, a small, gleeful laugh, that brings a small little grin to Vriska’s face. “You’re weird, Vriska.”

 

“HEY, I’M NOT WEIRD, UH- Um. What’s your name, again?”

 

“My name is Kanaya, Kanaya Maryam.”

 

“WELL, Miss Mar-yam, I’M NOT WEIRD. Ugh.”

 

Kanaya gives her a small, sagely nod. “Yes you are. But that’s quite alright. I like weird people. I’d love to hang out with you and go worm catching or whatever other strange things you have for us to do.”

 

Vriska huffs again, but a small grin still lists her lips, the barest hint of a pink tinge coloring her cheeks, and she offers a hand to help Kanaya up. The other gladly takes it, and Vriska tugs her to her feet, just barely catching her as she stumbles forward. Kanaya takes a step back from her, still holding her hand, quite unaware she was still doing so. Vriska casts a curious glance at their hands, but says nothing; instead, she just begins to lead her forward, and they head off together, wide grins on both faces as they go off to adventure together.


	4. Breaking the Rules

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I can tell this is one of my earlier prompts because it has indents which I totally gave up on having on Tumblr.
> 
> Curse Tumblr and its need to constantly screw up how I format my stories.

_Thwack._

“Vriska, could you please not throw rocks at-“

_Ping!_

“Honestly, these windows are expensive, and I’ll only be in worse trouble-“

_CRACK._

“… Thank you, Vriska, for breaking the window.”

“You’re welcome! Now, would you just come down already? I’m getting boooooooored.”

You roll your eyes, leaning out the now broken window. “Have patience for just one moment, it won’t kill you.”

“Yes it will.”

“I don’t see you dying.”

You watch as the girl collapses onto the ground, waving an arm helplessly in the air as she clutches at her throat. She dramatically gasps for oxygen, her voice a strained whisper. “I’m dying, Kanaya, dying, I tell you! The patience… Is slowly… Killing meeeeeeee…”

You wave her off with a palm, determined not to give her the laughter she was looking for. Not only was she having you sneak out at _ten o’clock at night_ , which was far later than you had ever been out before, but she had destroyed your window. You slide open the window beside the shattered one, crawling out onto the ledge below. “If you would just stop dying for a second, I would like you to catch me. You know. So I don’t splatter on the ground.”

She pushes herself to her feet, standing below the ledge with her arms open, a dumb grin resting on her face. “Alright, alright, I GUESS I can put off death for you.”

You finally give her a small giggle, hearing her let out a small ‘yes!’ as you slip down into her arms. She holds you close, swaying you lightly in her arms before setting you on the ground. You quirk a brow at her. “What’s this? Vriska Serket, showing some form of affection?”

“Pfft. Wasn’t affection. You’re just warm, and I’m, like, really cold. See. Look. Freezing.”

She shivers and you just shake your head at her. “Perhaps you should wear more than a t-shirt and leather jacket at night, then.”

“Fuck you, I look awesome. I thought you would’ve appreciated me doing things for the sake of fashion or whatever.”

“I’m pretty sure it’s more a case of you didn’t wash your clothes once more.”

“… Can we just go?”

You nod, following along beside her as she takes off down the sidewalk. She hadn’t actually told you where you two were going, and it looks as if she doesn’t plan on letting you know any time soon. Instead, she merely meanders closer and closer to you as you both stroll, her hand brushing alongside yours. You know she’s trying to get you to take her hand first, so it doesn’t look as if she’s trying to be affectionate (and so she can most likely poke fun at you, even though you know she won’t let go). You give in after a minute or so of her fingers brushing your palm, entangling your fingers with hers. She turns to laugh at you, mentioning how ‘you’re so lame, Fussy!’ but still keeps her hand in yours. Her shoulder rubs right against you, and you feel her shiver. You lean over, pressing your lips to her neck, causing her to let out the softest chirr. After another few moments of silence, you look up at her. “Vriska, would you mind enlightening me as to where we might be going?”

She takes a moment to register your words. “Just somewhere special, Fussy. I said I would make it worth it for you to sneak out, right? I promise you it’s going to be fun.”

—

After a half hour of you two basking in the silence, instead choosing to convey feelings through light kisses and squeezes, you finally happen upon your destination. You feel your lips pull into a silly smile as you turn to wrap your arms around her. “Vriska. Of all things… I didn’t think you would remember me mentioning this place.”

“Of course I did, I’m a fucking awesome girlfriend. Geez, Fussy, your doubt hurts a little.”

She presses her lips to your forehead, turning you back around to gaze at the sight before you: she had taken you to the local night garden, bright lights strung around some of the most gorgeous plants you had ever had the opportunity to see. You can’t help the childish giggle that comes out, and you practically pull Vriska off her feet as you race about. You hear her snorting in the background, and ignore her quips as she tries to comment on how you’re acting. “It’s just plants, holy shit!”

You stop and turn so quickly she smashes into you, and you both plummet through a bush just behind yourselves. She hovers just above you, her breath tickling, making it difficult for you to glare at her. “They’re not just plants to me. You know how much this means to me, I would appreciate it if you didn’t try to downplay this.”

You watch panic spread on her face as she struggles to come up with a way to apologize that does not, in fact, actually sound like an apology. “Vriska. It’s two syllables. You can manage this.”

She sighs, and does not catch you by surprise with her next action: she presses her lips hard against your own, teeth clacking as she mumbles out a ‘sorry’ against you. Well. At least she said it. You wrap your arms around her, pulling her right up against your body, perfectly fitting together. You both reside like this for a minute or so, neither willing to move; unfortunately, you both know there are going to be passing spectators on the walkway you had both just previously inhabited. Thus, you feel Vriska rise, and this time does manage to surprise you.

The Scorpio reaches down, lifting you like one would with a small child, holding you tight to herself. You nuzzle into her neck as she carries you behind the bush, stepping over to a local tree before she sets you down, both hidden from the public view. She does not hesitate for a moment, smashing her lips against yours within the next second. The next several minutes are spent with her against you, her hands traveling to places that you’d really rather she didn’t - _oh my god_ \- you mumble against her lips, asking if she could just please maybe relocate her- that was a definite no- maybe if you could just shift your body, you could slip out from under her touch -

After a moment of struggle, you finally manage out from under her horrid and wonderful touch, breathing a sigh of relief. Now pressed to the tree, she places her arms on either side of you, regarding you with eyes that make you feel as if you’ve kicked a puppy. “Aw come oooooooon, Kanaya, I was just having a bit of fun.” She huffs in your face.

“Yes, but I would rather we have that type of _fun_ in a more private location.”

She gives you quite possibly the most devilish smirk you’ve ever seen on her ever. “Oh, so you’re saying that if we, maybe, head back to my place we could continue to have that type of fun?” You feel her fingertips trace up your side, making you squirm.

“That is what I was hoping to convey, yes. Although, let’s make sure I’m back home before my mother could notice-“

She silences you with a kiss, and she lifts you into her arms once more. “Then let’s go, Fussy. Time’s a wastin’, and we need to get there as quickly as we possibly can if we’re going to have lots of fun!”

You only nod, letting her carry you out of the garden and beyond.


	5. Reversed Personalities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: when I wrote this fill, I had to switch character names because otherwise I would start laughing too much to get anything done.

Your name is VRISKA SERKET and your BITCHY GIRLFRIEND just tore the dress you were working on. Well. You mean, you DO love her, but. You just don’t go tearing dresses. “Kanaya, dear, would you please just calm down-“

“NO. THAT BITCH LALONDE _TOTALLY_ HAS IT OUT FOR ME, I KNOW IT.”

A soft sigh escapes your lips, and you stand from your table covered in fabrics to wrap your arms around her hips. Just for a moment, she relaxes into your touch, and you can just barely hear a pleased hum reverberate in her throat. Unfortunately, such bliss was not to last long. She immediately re-tenses, and you have to squeeze your arms tight to keep her from escaping. “Would you just calm down? Breathe, dear, breathe, and tell me what happened.”

That is most definitely not breathing. No, it sounds more like odd, strangled growling as she tries to calm herself down. Wait, no, she’s not trying to calm herself down either- no, she’s trying to force herself out of your arms. Again. You reposition your arms to hold her as if you were a seatbelt, and the restraint is enough- for now- to keep her from struggling too much. She huffs in a manner that speaks of all her frustration with you, but you don’t care. At least she’s not tearing up more of your precious dresses. “Uuuuuugh. Fine. She’s just being so fucking annoying, y’know? Like, she totally thinks she can just get away with making her dumb, _smarmy_ comments-“

“Maybe if you would stop and use your brain for a second, you would see that she IS getting away with them. Kanaya, honestly, they’re designed to anger you like this; why haven’t you noticed yet?”

“I _HAVE_ NOTICED. I don’t act this fucking pissed in front of her, god. I CAN keep my cool on occasion, Fussy.”

“I highly doubt that.” 

“I highly SHUT UP.”

“You’re acting like a five year old again.” 

“You’re acting like my fucking mom again.”

She groans, and in one of her most immature moves yet, goes slack in your arms, using all of her weight to immediately cause you to almost drop her. Almost being the key word. No, you both tumble to the ground, and you still manage to keep her wrapped up. She presses against you, desperately wriggling and struggling to try to push her way out of your grasp, but to no avail. Thus, you pull out your secret trap: you kiss that one spot on her neck, just near the base, pressing your teeth in just how you know she likes it. You hear the gasp that always comes along with those kisses, and you can’t help but smirk. “N-not… Not f-fair. You can’t just… D-do that.”

“It is completely fair. There are no rules to getting you to calm down.” She does her best to sound angry; mumbles and grumbles of ‘how fucking pissed to goddamn hell’ she is right now falling out, but her body betrays her words. Her back arches, and she slips a palm behind your head to twine her fingers in your hair, keeping you pressed against her neck. Eventually, you let up, and she involuntarily whines. “Oh my. Seems someone actually wanted me to keep going.”

“… Shut. Up.”

You simply giggle, holding her close as you press a kiss to her neck once more. Her fingers twitch in your hair as you do so, and she groans as you pull away again. “Now. Kanaya. On the matters of the dress you ruined.”

Her hand immediately moves to wrap around herself, and she practically curls up in shame. “It was in my way.”

“It was hanging on a chair being completely harmless. It was defenseless and you took advantage of the poor thing, taking it into your cruel hands as it begged for mercy-“

“Do not anthropomorphize your dress, I swear to god… Its colors reminded me of Lalonde. Yeah, that’s it.”

“It was blue.”

“… Lalonde wears blue on occasion, doesn’t she?”

“She tends to stick more to orange.”

“Whatever. I… I’ll make it up to you sometime, I swear.”

“And however will you do that?”

“… I could take you to the movies?” You deliberate the idea for a moment, and eventually nod.

“On one condition. You also purchase enough fabrics for me to make a new version of the dress.”

She sighs, but gives you a small nod. “Deal.”

You nuzzle her neck, and she lets out a pleased hum as you begin kissing her neck again.


	6. Hanging Loose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: this fill has nothing to do with surfing.
> 
> Fun fact #2: it has everything to do with Vriska being a little shit and being hung over the edge of a balcony for it.

Your girlfriend has never frightened you more in your entire life.

“FUSSY, ALL THE BLOOD IS RUSHING TO MY HEAD, COME ON-“

You hear her tut her stupid fucking tongue, and you just _know_ she’s shaking her head and probably laughing at you with that dumb giggle of hers. “You must apologize first.”

You groan and tilt your head back, which was not a good idea because you now have an even better view of the three story drop below you. You panic and thrash, and you feel her grip tighten around your ankles. “Vriska. It’s not that hard. You would’ve been back up over the railing and in my arms by now if you just apologized as I asked. I wouldn’t have even had to do this if you weren’t so stubborn.”

“I’ll apologize if you just fucking LET ME UP!”

“No.”

You practically scream in absolute frustration, letting go of your shirt just a moment to throw them in exasperation. As your top falls, you hear the slightest chuckle. “You know, I am enjoying this view. I might just keep you here simply because of it.”

“KA _NAYA_ I SWEAR TO GOD.”

“Joking, dear. Just say you’re sorry and everything will be fine.”

You sigh. “FINE. I APOLOGIZE FOR FUCKING UP YOUR STUPID DRESS ON ACCIDENT BY POURING JUICE ON IT BLAH BLAH BLAH LET ME UP.”

“That is quite possibly the most insincere apology I’ve heard in my entire life.”

“It wasn’t insincere! I meant every single word! It was just an accideeeeeeeent, come on!”

“That’s why I found you deliberately holding your cup above the dress, allowing the liquids inside to pour out onto it, correct?”

“… So maybe it wasn’t an accident. I’m sorry, I swear I am.”

You hear her grumble, but you still feel yourself being lifted back up over the banister. Success! When she finally puts you back on your feet, you extend your arms to wrap her up in a hug and- she steps back. Confusion mixes with trepidation on your face. “Fussy, come on. It was just a prank, you make dresses all the time, I don’t see why this one was such a big deal-“

She _hisses_ , actually _hisses_ , at you. “Does it matter whether or not I make dresses upon constant occasion? It was something I was working hard on, and it was taking me quite a bit of time. It was important anyway, it was… It was for you.”

You think you see the slightest bit of sadness in her eyes, and your arms fall to your side. “I… Didn’t know. You could’ve told me that.”

You see her shoulders fall, and she just shakes her head. “It was going to be a gift, Vriska. For our anniversary. That is coming up, you know. It’s been a year.”

Ah, _shit_. You panic, hoping to god it doesn’t show on your face. “I knew that! I was planning on taking you out tonight and everything.”

God, she’s fucking unreadable. You have no idea what that expression means, but you think it might be good when she leans in to kiss you. Her words come out light and airy over your lips as she manages out a bare whisper. “I can tell you’re lying, dear. I know you forgot. I suppose… You owe me an excellent date on our anniversary. Do not think I’m just going to let this slide by. If you manage to pull one together that is simply astounding, then I will forgive you.”

You sigh, but you can’t even begin to explain the relief you feel when you realize she isn’t actually going to read you the riot act. You pull her into your arms, smooching her. “It’s going to be the best fucking date on the planet, promise.”

She giggles. “I hope so.”


	7. Thorns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello I use italics too much.

Her voice runs quietly over your ears, a breathless whisper trickling like a stream.

 

_“Please come find me.”_

 

You bolt up; as your eyes open, you find yourself in a place entirely unfamiliar and familiar all the same - it’s a garden, your garden?, no, just a garden, a garden surrounded by trees and shrubs and bushes and thorns, thorns litter the ground. You push to your feet, and her voice rushes past you again, an incomprehensible sputter of words, and for a moment you reach out to try to capture them, to try to hold on - but they’re gone, gone before you can even begin to try to figure out what they were. You desperately turn and look and search and hunt, looking for _her_ , trying to figure out where her voice came from, when - for a moment, you catch a glimpse of metal, and you run.

 

The thorns hurt - your feet are bare, you realize now, and you stop momentarily, when another murmur reminds you of your goal, and you need to push through the pain, _you need to find her_. The closer you get to where you saw that hint of metal, the more snarled the trees look, the more thorns lay around, the more it looks as if the forest is going to consume you whole. It’s terrifying, it’s terrifying, you think, it’s terrifying but you _need to get to her_ , you need to find her like she asked you to.

 

Upon your first step inside the forest, the darkness all but eats you alive. You try to remember how to use your glow but it only dimly flickers, as if just being in there took away your light. You fight to keep that flicker, and it stays; you try to will a bit more, but you find that the more you try the more fatigued you feel, and so you just continue to push through the forest with nothing but your small hint of light.

 

Another ghostly whisper flits past you, and this time you catch the words - _“I shouldn’t have made you come here, go away, go away -”_

 

She continues to chant these words, and they fade and fade and fade, until you just think you still hear them - yet still, they were enough to invigorate you to keep going, despite her insistence that you don’t. Murmurs surround you, all different voices - _she’ll never find her, even I’ve tried to break through her walls like this and if I can’t nobody can, turn back, turn back, she’ll only hurt you, I should know_ \- but they still don’t deter you, and brambles begin to scratch your arms. The forest is closing in, it’s becoming narrower and narrower, and the brambles begin to tear at your skin, but you need to find her, need to save her -

 

There, in the distance, you see a speck of light.

 

_“Why do you keep going when I tell you to stop?”_

 

For a second, you lead yourself to believe that you respond with _because I care_ , and the trees groaning and shifting leads you to believe that even more so, but then you realize you only thought that; perhaps she decided to let you in, finally.

 

A branch seemingly whips around your ankle and you fall to the floor - no, she was trying to stop you.

 

“Vriska, Vriska please, I only want to help -”

 

The trees close in, and the air thickens around you, and you swear for a second you see her standing right in front of you. A presence looms over you, and her voice is like razor blades, sharp and cutting.

 

“You had the chance to help. Now I’m gone, and there ain’t shit you can do about it.”

 

You try to reach out, and a branch wraps around your wrist, biting and cutting and you cry out, and that’s when you think you hear her laugh. “I’m sorry, Vriska, I’m so, so sorry, I was wrong -”

 

“That’s right, you _were_ wrong!”

 

The air hisses around you, the branches crackle and pop, and then - the presence disappears. The branches slither away, and you’re allowed to stand, the passage around you widening. That speck of light has disappeared - but you remember where it was, so you start up again, heading towards it.

 

The trees groan, and they seemingly droop, but they let you pass through. In the distance, you can see that speck of light again, coaxing you forth, when - you finally reach the light, and it pokes through a hole in a snarl of hedges. With a deep breath, you begin to push through, fighting and racing your way, as her voice begins to pick up again.

 

_“I wanted you there and you left -”_

 

A branch tears at your arm, ripping your skin, but still you fight through, tears threatening the edges of your eyes.

 

_“- you left me alone, and I don’t even know why, and I NEEDED you -”_

 

You think you breathe out an _I know_ , and a branch that was coming at you backs off, hesitantly letting you pass by.

 

_“I want you and I hate you but I need you but I hate you -”_

 

_“I know.”_

 

The branches all seem to slink away, and you finally tear through the hedge, blood streaking along your skin and tears sliding down your cheeks.

 

 

You stand in an open field, and a broken girl sits in the middle of it.

 

 

A rose bush is in front of her, and the flowers themselves are a gorgeous mixture of blue and green; in her hand is a rose, a small, cobalt one, and she picks at the thorns, unable to tear them off.

 

“You didn’t stop fighting,” she states.

 

“I know,” you whisper.

 

“You’re the only one who didn’t,” she mumbles.

 

“I know,” you state.

 

She turns and holds the rose out towards you.

 

You step up to her and plop down on your bottom, taking the rose delicately into your hands.

 

“I couldn’t get the thorns out no matter how hard I tried,” she whimpers.

 

“I know,” you sigh, and you forcefully rip one off the stem.

 

A palm comes to rest on your cheek. “You’re crying.”

 

You say nothing, and only tear out another thorn.

 

“I made you cry.”

 

“You did not.”

 

“You’re crying because I’m no longer with you.”

 

“I’m crying because I can never have you.”

 

“You can never have me because I’m gone.”

 

“You’re gone because I wasn’t there.”

 

She goes quiet, and you tear out another thorn.

 

You feel her eyes settle on you (or what were her eyes settling on you, anyway), and you hear a sigh that you suppose is her trying to remember how to breathe. “I’m sorry I wanted him.”

 

“I’m sorry I wanted you.”

 

“I’m sorry I didn’t know I wanted you in return.”

 

“I’m sorry you were too oblivious to notice it.”

 

“I’m sorry I was too oblivious to notice it.”

 

You tear off another thorn.

 

“I want to be with you.”

 

“And I want you to be with me.”

 

“Why can’t I be with you?”

 

“Because you’re dead.”

 

“You could visit me in your dreams.”

 

You look up at her with a tired stare, and struggle to take off the next thorn. “I can’t do that.”

 

“Why not?” she murmurs.

 

“Because I have to live my life,” you whisper.

 

“I was your life,” she whines.

 

“Not anymore,” you state.

 

“Who is she?”

 

You turn, but there’s nobody there. “What do you mean?”

 

“The girl you love. Who is she?”

 

“How would you know if I love somebody other than you?”

 

“I’m not your life anymore. So. Who is she?”

 

A sigh passes over your lips, and you let the rose rest in your lap. “A human.”

 

“Do you think you could love her like you loved me?”

 

“No.”

 

She goes quiet, and you tear off another thorn.

 

It’s then that the broken girl reaches forward and taps your shoulder, trying to get your attention. You set your eyes on her, and you realize that she’s leaning in close to you, and her breath is on your lips, just like how you had always wanted except not when you wanted it, and she takes the rose from your hands, casting it off to the side. “I want you.”

 

“I know,” you murmur, and she presses your lips together.

 

It was nothing more than a simple kiss, really; your mind made it more than that, and you melt around her, your hands resting on her cheeks, desperately, desperately trying to hold her closer, as if if you held her close enough, she would come back with you to the waking world. However, it was not so, of course - the wind sighs, and she dissolves in your hands as you try to wrap your arms around her, soon hugging nothing but yourself. You choke out a sob, and it’s then you realize that was the first time you cried in front of her.


End file.
